The Hollywood Reporter Roundtable: The Writers #book2movies

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One more day until Oscars hit and I realize that while I featured a panel with Michael H. Weber one of the writers of the Best Adapted Screenplay nominee The Disaster Artist I never did share the Hollywood Reporter’s Writers Roundtable. This year’s roundtable doesn’t include all the Oscar nominated writers in the Best Screenplay Adaptation category:Call Me by Your NameThe Disaster ArtistLoganMolly’s GameMudboundOr all the writers in the Original Screenplay category:The Big SickGet OutLady BirdThe Shape of WaterThree Billboards Outside Ebbing, MissouriBut we do have Jordan Peele nominated for Get Out, Aaron Sorkin for his adaptation of Molly’s Game, Emily V. Gordon for The Big Sick, along with non-nominees Fatih Akin (In the Fade), Anthony McCarten—who I’m surprised isn't nominated for Darkest Hourand Darren Aronofsky for mother!—and it’s still very much worth listening to.

Following that, especially for those interested in writing for film, I’ve included the links to read three nominated screenplays via nofilmschool.com. I’m told the single best way to learn to write for the movies isn’t to labor over the hundreds of books on the subject, it’s to read, read, read screenplays. So have at it.

The Disaster Artist, screenplay by Scott Neustadter & Michael H. Weber, based on the book by Greg Sestero and Tom Bissell

Logan, screenplay by Scott Frank & James Mangold and Michael Green, story by James Mangold

Mudbound, screenplay by Virgil Williams and Dee Rees, based on the novel by Hillary Jordan

And if you’re missing my usual Saturday Matinee, let me recommend Mudbound, one of this year’s very best films and nominated in four categories.

Best Screenplay by Rees and Williams

Best Supporting Actress~Mary J. Blige

Best Cinematography~Rachel Morrison THE FIRST FEMALE EVER NOMINATED IN THIS CATEGORY!

Best Original Song~Mighty River by Raphael Saadiq, Mary J. Blige and Taura Stinson

Here’s that trailer along with the reminder that Mudbound is available to stream on Netflix.

Oddsmakers are giving it to Get Out for Original Script and Call Me By Your Name for Adapted Screenplay. What screenplay tops your list?

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